Building God's Way announces hiring of Mike Despard as Ministry Design Strategist

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Despard brings a wealth of creative experience with a background in both ministry leadership and design.

"I believe that good design (both function and aesthetic) is important for a ministry to be successful, and with my experience in both design and ministry, I look forward to helping other ministries merge the two together" - Mike Despard

Ogden, UT (PRWEB)November 16, 2012

Building God's Way announced that it has hired Mike Despard as Ministry Design Strategist. Mike formerly served as the Creative Arts Director for Cornerstone Church in Ames, Iowa for 11 years (2001-2012), where he was responsible for managing the arts and hospitality ministries and overseeing facility-related issues for the 114,000 s.f. campus.

Mike's primary role at Cornerstone Church was to establish and maintain the overall "ethos" and characteristic spirit of the church and he played an integral role in its explosive growth, particularly among young people in the college town of Ames, IA.

Mike served as owner representative for the church during its 2008-09 facility expansion project and worked closely with BGW Architect Don Mahoney and BGW Builder Story Construction on the addition of the new 1,800 seat sanctuary, foyer space and classrooms. The new facility stands as a BGW showcase for how churches should be designed and constructed in the 21st century.

Don Mahoney commented, "As the principal architect for the Cornerstone project, I had the opportunity to work closely with Mike over 3 1/2 years of design and construction. Mike will bring to our clients a unique mix of design and church ministry experience. At Cornerstone, he not only brought those abilities and passions but also the attention to detail that brings a level of excellence that is needed on all of our ministry projects. Mike is able to take a broader view of how ministries operate and has the ability to see what is not evident to many others on the project. The ability to see the possibilities is one of the great attributes of a designer and Mike will bring that gift to each project fortunate enough to have him involved".

Prior to his tenure with Cornerstone Church, Mike worked for architectural and design/build firms in Iowa for 8 years (1993-2001) as a drafter, designer and construction manager. He earned a Bachelor of Architecture Degree from Iowa State University in 1993. Mike was born and raised in Iowa, has been married for 13 years and has three children between the ages of 6 and 11.

Mike Despard commented, "I believe that good design (both function and aesthetic) is important for a ministry to be successful, and with my experience in both design and ministry, I look forward to helping other ministries merge the two together".

About Building God’s Way - With a portfolio of nearly 600 churches, Christian schools and colleges nationwide, Building God's Way (“BGW”) has become a recognized leader in ministry design and construction. BGW has also developed an unparalleled network of kingdom building services that extend beyond just architecture and building and includes growth coaching, vision casting, capital fundraising, financing, leadership development and more. The mission of Building God’s Way is to build God’s Kingdom by translating the God-given ministry vision of Christian organizations through high-quality, cost-effective buildings and by demonstrating the love of Christ on the job site through the BGW Ministry of Construction program.